The famous international competition for young dancers closed with a breathtaking finale. The jury was challenged to choose between the 20 finalists, including this year a young Swiss girl, all of an outstanding artistic and technical level.
226 young dancers applied to the selection round last autumn. Of the 81 candidates selected to participate in the competition in Lausanne over half were young male dancers, a first in the 38 year history of the Prix de Lausanne ! The public’s enthusiastic response to the dancers confirmed the jury’s choice, which was based on artistry, quality and technical ability. For the first time ever, more male dancers were selected, as 14 boys and 6 girls reached the Finals.
The prizes consist of scholarships to the great international ballet schools and ballet companies. The jury awarded them to seven of the most promising dancers in this year’s competition :
PRIX DE LAUSANNE "BOURSE" – "SCHOLARSHIP"
(433) Mr Amuchastegui, Cristian Emanuel, Argentina, Houston Ballet Ben Stevenson Academy
(402) Mr Mungamba Reina Francisco, Spain, San Francisco Ballet School; Real Conservatorio Profesional de Danza "Mariemma"
(101) Ms Sasaki Mariko, Japan Yuriko Kawaguchi Ballet School, Toyko
(312) Ms Stawaruk Caitlin, Australia, Tanz Akademie Zürich; Australian Ballet School
(414) Mr Sharratt Aaron, USA Houston Ballet Ben Stevenson AcademyOAK FONDATION
(201) Mr Evans Christopher, USA Ballet Met, ColombusFONDATION COROMANDEL
(423) Mr Turner Lewis, Great Britain Elmhurst School For Dance, BirminghamFONDATION PRO SCIENTIA ET ARTE
"PRIX D’INTERPRETATION CONTEMPORAINE" – "CONTEMPORARY DANCE PRIZE"
(423) Mr Turner Lewis, Great Britain Elmhurst School For Dance, Birmingham
"PRIX DU MEILLEUR SUISSE" – "PRIZE FOR THE BEST SWISS CANDIDATE"
(103) Ms Valavanis Alexandra, Switzerland Belletschule des Opernhauses, Zürich
"PRIX DU PUBLIC" – "AUDIENCE’S FAVORITE"
(433) Mr Amuchastegui, Cristian Emanuel, Argentina, Houston Ballet Ben Stevenson Academy FONDATION EN FAVEUR DE L’ART CHOREGRAPHIQUE
To mark the 60th anniversary of the recognition by Switzerland of the People’s Republic of China, the Prix de Lausanne invited the Shanghai Dance School to present, during the jury deliberations, a creation with eight of their dancers. This original work was a big success with the public, as was the pas de deux danced by two Principals of The Royal Ballet in London, Leanne Benjamin (1981 Prix de Lausanne prizewinner) and Edward Watson.
The 2010 Prix de Lausanne was the last one under the presidency of Charles Gebhard, who will be handing the reins of the institution over to Beth Krasna, currently a member of the foundation board and president of the finance committee, on March 1, 2010. Charles Gebhard has played a driving role in the internationalization of the Prix de Lausanne, which now counts over fifty schools and companies throughout the world as its partners.
Besides the candidates and their teachers and family members, many important figures of the dance gathered in Lausanne during the week of the competition, turning the city each year into the world capital of young dance.
The 39th edition will have its final on February, the 6 th, 2011.